Abel-bodied

In reading recent news headlines, fake or real, it is easy to see that we have become like Cain, roaming our world in frustration, wrapped up in convenience, greed, trivial earthly pursuits; only giving our first fruits not to God but instead to our own angry, prideful selves.  There is no sense of exitus-reditus, no desire to give to and receive from God; no real conversation with the Lord.  We've lost ourselves in the trappings of self-importance.   We worship at the altar of the unholy trinity:  me, myself, and I.  We are conceited, offended, and indignant to the point of murder.  And, we find no favor with God from these "gifts."  Will we ever learn that to be Cain is to be altogether unhuman?

This is not who we were created to be.  Loving God and your neighbor is the hallmark of humanity as God designed it.  A conversion of heart and a conviction to follow this "greatest commandment" is in order. Now.  Not tomorrow.  Not someday. Our souls yearn for communion with the Most Holy Trinity and as elucidated by St. Augustine, are restless until they rest in the Lord.  While we need to tend to our ordinary lives, reaping and sowing, it is imperative to do so while keeping a keen focus on God.  He alone is the goal.  That bears repeating:  HE IS THE GOAL.  Our Creator, primarily and always, is deserving of our caritas, imperfect though it may be. In loving our neighbor, performing deeds of mercy, we love Him best of all.  We ought to turn our minds and hearts 180 degrees from inward to outward, seeing those around us as God sees us.  We need to give to the Father our first fruits.  In other words, we must be "Abel-bodied."